Post-hole digger and post-setter.



1. A. MORRISON. POST HOLE DIGGER AND POST SETTER.

' APPLICATION FILM DEC. 26' 1914- 'lg287g075e Patented Dec. 10, 191 8.

3 SHEETSSHEET l- J. A. MORRISON. POST HOLEDIGGER AND POST SETTER. v

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26; I914.

J. A. MORRISON. POST HOLE DI GGER AND POST SETTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26- 1914.

a n w s 3 DH 1 u d W3 m t a P JESSE ALBERT MORRISON, OF FLORENCE, COLORADO.

POST-HOLE BIGGER AND POST-SETTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed December 26, 1914. Serial No. 879,096.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn ALBERT Mon- RISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of Fremont and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post- Hole Diggers and Post-Setters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for setting posts, and has for its object the provision of a device mounted upon a wheeled frame or wagon truck and provided with power driven means for boring holes in the ground for the reception of fence posts, a demountable derrick and power driven drum being further provided for placing the posts in position.

An'important object isthe provision of a novel feed for the boring tool whereby the feeding mechanism will automatically slip idly incase the tool strikes an obstruction which would injure it.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character having a novel mounting for the boring mechanism whereby in case the device is operated upon hilly or otherwise uneven ground, the boring mechanism may still be actuated in a perfectly vertical position. v v

A further object is the provision of a derrick forming a part of the device and associated with a drum for elevating posts and lowering them quickly and easily into the previously bored holes.

With these and other objects and advantages in View, such as simplicity in construc tion, cheapness in manufacture, efficiency and durability in service, and the general improvement of the art, my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my device, the derrick lying flat, Fig. 2 is a front elevation, ing raised,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, the derrick removed,

Fig. 4: is a front elevation showing only the derrick and drum,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the derrick structure, and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view along the line 66 of Fig. 2, showing the band brake device,

the derrick beand starting point Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a truck, which may be that of a wagon, and which comprises the usual bolsters 2 and wheels 3.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide a platform 4 mounted for rocking movement upon a longitudinal bar or pipe 5 supported from the bolsters 2 by inclined bars 6. The platform is maintained in adjusted positions relatively to the truck 1 by means of bars 7 pivoted upon brackets 8 upon the bolsters, and extending upwardly through openings in the platform and through elongated sleeve-s 9 secured upon the platform, bolts 10 passing through the sleeves and through selected holes 11 in the bars 7.

The boring mechanism comprises shafts 12 and 13 journaled through bearings 14 and 15, and 16 and 17 on the platform 4. Inwardly of the bearings 14 and 16 the shafts 12 and 13 pass through and support the vertical arms 18 and 19 of a frame 20. In- Wardly of the bearing 15 and the arm 19, the shafts 12 and 13 pass through and support the vertical arms 21 depending from a bearing plate 22 which is provided with a central hole for the passage of a feed screw 23 which carries at its lower end an anger 24 terminating in a cutting blade 25 26. Upon the inner ends of the shafts 12 and 13 are loosely mounted bevel gears 27 and 28, respectively, which mesh with and support a larger bevel gear 29 splined upon and receiving the feed screw 23 and revoluble upon rollers 30 journaled on the lower side of the plate 22. The gear 28 is idle and performs no function other than that of a support, while thepurpose of the gear 27 is to drive the gear 29 for rotating the auger.

The means for drivingthe gear 27 comprises a clutch face 31 formed onthe hub of the gear 27 and engageable by a clutch face 32 formed on a sleeve 33 splined upon the shaft 12. The sleeve 33 is shifted by means of a forked lever 34 pivoted upon a bracket 35 on the bearing 15 and pivotally connected with a ring 36 disposed in a groove in the sleeve. The shaft 12 is rotated by a sprocket 37 engaged by a chain 38 trained about a. sprocket 39 driven by gearing 40 from the shaft 41 of any suitable engine 42 mounted on the platform 4.

The feed for the auger comprises a sha 43 journaled through the arms 18 and 19 of the frame 20 and having secured thereon a a concave toothed gear 44 meshing with the feed screw 23. A sprocket 45 is secured on the shaft 43 and has trained thereabout a chain 46 which is trained about a sprocket 47 loosely mounted on the shaft 12. The shaft 43 is normally prevented from rotation by a band brake comprising a pair of half bands 48 pivoted upon the arm 18 at 49 and having lugs 50 engaged by a screw 51 passing through a lug 52 on the arm 18. Brackets 53 extend from the arms 18 and 19 and support a shaft 54 carrying a concave guide roller 55 engaging the feed screw 23.

In the operation of the device, the truck is moved so that the auger 24 will be dis-posed over the spot where ityis desired to bore a hole. Theplatform 4 is then leveled lat-- through the sleeves 9 and engaged by the bolts 10. The frame 20 is then moved so as to bring the auger .into the'correct vertical position by adjusting rods 56 pivotally connected with the upper corners of the frame and passing through sleeves 57 on the platform 4, set screws 58 engaging and holding these rods in their adjusted positions. The bands 48 are then tightened by means of the screw 51 so that the shaft 43 and gear 44 will be stationary. The engine 42 is then started, whereupon the shaft 12 will be rotated, carrying with it the sleeve 33. The lever 34 is then moved to the right to throw the clutch face 32 into engagement with the clutch face 31, whereupon the gear 27' will be rotated, consequently turning the gear 29 and rotating the feed screw 23 and auger 24. As the feed screw 23 is rotated by the gear 29 the engagement of the feed screw with the gear v44 will cause the gear .44 t act as a nut and cause the screw 23 to move downwardly, thus feeding the auger into the ground. In case very hard ground is to be bored, the band brake is set more tightly. In any even incase the auger strikes a large stone which might cause injury, the band brakewill slip and allow the feed to stop.

After the hole has been bored the bands 48 are loosened and the lever 34 is shifted to the left, thus disconnecting the clutch faces 31 and 32- and discontinuing the rotation of the auger. The lever 34 is then pressed to the left as far as possible, thus forcing the sleeve 33 jinto frictional engagement with the sprocket 47' and causing the sprocket to rotate. chain 46 the sprocket 45- will be rotated.

turning the shaft 43. The gear 44 will thus be rotated and will elevate the feed screw and ull the auger 24 out of the ground.

A ter a hole has been bored and the auger subsequently removed, in order that a post may be readily set, I provide a derrick 59 comprising converging bars hinged upon the platform 4 as shown at 60 and adapted By virtue of the to lie flat when not in use. A pulley 61 is 67is splined upon the shaft 64 and has formed thereon a clutch face 68 adapted to engage a clutch face 69 formed on the hub of the sprocket 66. The clutch is engaged.

by means of a lever 70 pivoted, as shown, upon the platform 4 and disposed in a groove in the sleeve 67. a

In order to set a post, the derrick .is raised to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and is held in such position by means of bars 71 hinged upon the bars 59 and engaging 'stops 72 securedon the platform. The engine 42 being in operation and the cable being attached to a post, the lever 70 is moved to throw the clutch faces 68 and 69 into engagement, whereupon the drum 63 will wind up the cable and elevate the post. After the post is raised to the proper position above the hole, the lever 70 is moved to the right to disengage the clutch faces 68 and 69, whereupon the weight of the post will unwind the cable from the drum so that the post will readily drop into the hole prepared for it. i

In the drawings the drum has a long spindle with gradually flaring ends, but it may be made materially shorter with the ends flaring more abruptly, and instead of training the rope around the drum with one end secured thereto, the rope may be wrapped two or three times and the end left free to be held by the operator to enable him to regulate the speed in raising the posts. i

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a. device of the character described, a support, a rotary feed screw carried by the support, an auger on the end of said screw, and means for advancing said screw comprising a pair of revoluble shafts disposed at opposite sides of said feed screw, a guide r ller on one of said shafts engaging said screw, a concave toothed wheel fast on the other shaft and meshing with said screw, a drum on said last named shaft, and an adjustable friction brake engaging said drum for holding the associated shaft and toothed wheel stationary.

In a device of the character described, a support, a rotary feed screw carried thereby, a cutting tool'carried by said screw, and means for advancing said screw comprising a pair of revoluble shafts disposed at opposite sides of said feed screw, a guide roller on one of said shaftsengaging said screw,

a concave toothed wheel fast on the other fast on said last named shaft, and means for holding said drum, shaft and toothed wheel stationary comprising a pair of curved arms pivoted upon said support and partially embracing said drum and ahandled screw threaded through the free ends of said arms.

3. In a device of a supporting frame, a feed screw mounted therein, an auger on the end of said screw, a revoluble guide roller engaging one side of said screw, a shaft revoluble in said frame adjacent said screw, a concave toothed roller on said shaft engaging said screw, releasthe character described,

able means for holding said shaft station- 15 ary to make said toothed roller act as a feed nut, a driven shaft, and means operatively connected with said driven shaft and said feed screw and said first named shaft and selectively operable to rotate said-feed screw and to rotate said first named shaft for 're-' tracting said screw.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JESSE ALBERT Witnesses: J. P. CLAUsEN,

E. F. JACK.

MORRIS-ON. 

